Uniland CEO Michael J. Montante received the 2025 C-Level Executive Award from Buffalo Business First, an honor which recognizes leaders who are innovators within their companies and trailblazers who effectively navigate the complexities of their field. Mr. Montante’s recognition comes as he marks the fifth anniversary of succeeding his father, Carl J. Montante, Uniland’s Co-Founder and current Executive Chairman, as the Chief Executive Officer of Uniland Development Company.
Michael Montante has been playing a key role at Uniland and in the greater Western New York community for decades. As Buffalo Business First noted when covering Mr. Montante succeeding his father to become Uniland’s CEO in July 2020: “[Mr.] Montante, most recently Uniland’s Vice President of Development, began working for the company during summer vacations starting in the seventh grade. He began by helping with landscaping, cutting grass and cleaning out buildings, including the former Sears Roebuck & Co. department store on Main Street, as it was prepped for redevelopment as the then-Blue Cross regional headquarters [now the Canisius University Science Hall].”
Under Mr. Montante’s leadership, Uniland has been recognized as the largest commercial real estate developer in Western New York by Buffalo Business First for the past three years. This growth has been led by both the company’s development of new properties in the region that are owned and operated by Uniland, as well as leading the construction management of major third-party projects.
Recent examples of this works include Uniland’s speculative warehouse facilities totaling over 300,000 square feet at Renaissance Commerce Park in Lackawanna; HANSA workspace, downtown Buffalo’s first home-built flexible office space and coworking center; the Hampton Inn Buffalo-Amherst, North America’s first Universal Design hotel at the Northtown Center at Amherst athletic complex neighboring the University at Buffalo North Campus; Flexible Warehouse & Storage Suites at Eastport Commerce Center in Lancaster; and the launch of the Vistas at Avant Furnished Apartments in downtown Buffalo.
Under Mr. Montante’s direction, Uniland’s owned and operated portfolio has been complemented by major third-party projects supporting FeedMore WNY, BestSelf Behavioral Health, Evergreen Health, and the City of Buffalo in launching major new facilities that will strengthen the Western New York community for years to come.
Mr. Montante’s tenure as CEO has been rewarding for both Uniland’s clients and community partners, as well as its 200 associates based in Western New York. This degree of impact is reflected in his consistent presence on Business First’s Power 250 list for 13 consecutive years, his inclusion among the annual profiles of “Who’s Building WNY” for many years, as well as Uniland being a winner of WNY’s Healthiest Employer, among other industry recognition from the Urban Land Institute, BOMA Buffalo, NAIOP Upstate New York Chapter-The Commercial Real Estate Development Association, CoStar Group, Canisius University, Niagara University, Buffalo Black Achievers, Explore Buffalo, and other organizations.
Mr. Montante’s award citation aptly notes, “As he marks his fifth year at CEO of Uniland Development Company in advance of his 35th anniversary with the company in 2026, Michael J. Montante is a world-class leader making a positive impact here in Western New York.”
